Machine for seaming and curling sheet metal



No. 620,398. Patented-Feb. 28, I899.

E. ZEH.

MACHINE FOR SEAMING AND GUBLING SHEET METAL. (Application filed Nov. 22,1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets- 5M I.

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IACIHNE FDR SEAIMNG AND GUBLING SHEET METAL (Application filed H07. 29,1898.) (In mm.)-

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

EDMUND ZEH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE NIAGARA MACHINE ANDTOOL WORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR SEAM ING AND CURLING SHEET METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,398, dated February28, 1899.

Application filed November 22, 1898. Serial No. 697,128. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND ZEH, a subject of the Emperor of Germany,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Seaming and CurlingSheet Metal, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for connecting the lower edge of thebody and the edge of the bottom of a sheet-metal pail or vessel by aseam-joint and for curling or turning over the upper edge of the body.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple and efficient machinewhereby the above operations can be performed with but one handling ofthe blanks, thereby expediting the manufacture of sheet-metal pails andsimilar tubular vessels and reducing the cost thereof proportionately.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is afront elevation of my improved seaming and curling machine, showing theposition of the parts when the pail-blanks are placed in the machine.Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontalsection in line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, onan enlarged scale, of the blank elevating, clamping,and curlingmechanism, showing the same in-an operative position. Fig. 5 is avertical section in line 5 5, Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 are horizontalsections in lines 6 6 and 7 7, Fig. 4., respectively. Fig. 8 is avertical section in line 8 8, Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan View ofthe blank-holding chuck. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section in line 1O 10,Fig. 5. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary vertical section in line 11 11, Fig. 9.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

The main frame of the machine consists, essentially, of a base A, astandard B, rising from the base, and upper and lower arms 0 O,projecting forwardly from the upper portion of the standard.

D represents a bracket projecting forwardly from the lower portion ofthe standard and capable of vertical adjustment thereon in any usual andwell-known manner.

E represents an upright shifting rod or spindle which slides verticallyin a way e on the front end of the bracket and which is providedat itsupper end with a horizontal supporting disk or table 6. This table maybe mounted loosely on the upper end of the shifting rod, so as to turnthereon, or it may be secured to the rod, and the latter may turn in itsguideway. When the table is in its lowered position, the operator placesa pail-bottom blank upon the table and a body-blank, having alaterally-projecting flange at its lower end,upon the bottom-blank,after which the table is raised for bringing the lower edge of the bodyand the edge of the bottom in line with the seaming devices and theupper edge of the body into engagement with the curling devices. Thisupward movement of, the blank-supporting table is effected bya'horizontal rock-shaft F, journaled in a bearing on the lower rearportion of .the bracket D and provided at one end with aforwardlyprojecting arm f, having a roller which engages with the lowerend of the shifting rod E, and at its other end with anupwardly-projecting arm f, having a roller or pin which engages with avertically-movable cam G. The face of this cam, with which the uprightrock-arm f engages, consists of a lower vertical portion g, an inclinedportion g, extending upwardly and rearwardly from the upper end of thevertical portion 9, a vertical portion g extending upwardly from therear end of the inclined portion g, an inclined portion 9 extendingrearwardly and upwardly from the upper end of the vertical portion 9 anda vertical portion 9 extending upwardly from the upper end of theinclined portion g as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The platform-shifting camG is secured to a vertically-reciprocating bar H, which is guided inways it h on the standard and connected at its lower end by a link h toa treadle h This treadle is pivoted at its rear end to the bracket k onthe base and is normally held in a raised position, together with theparts connected therewith, by a spring h. Upon depressing the treadle toits fullest extent the body and bottom blanks are lifted by the cam Gand the intermediate mechanism, so that the edge of the bottom-blank andthe laterally-projecting flange on the lower end of the body standopposite the seaming device and the upper edge of the body is engagedwith the curling devices. While in this elevated position, the body andbottom blanks of the pail are rotated by the following mechanism:

I represents a continuously-rotating upright spindle, which is journaledin bearings in the front ends of the arms C C, but is held againstvertical movement therein. This spindle is arranged axially in line withand above the shifting rod E and is rotated by a belt I,passing aroundpulleys 2' t",mounted on the driving-shaft I and the spindle I,respectively, and around intermediate pulleys 2' 2' mounted on arbors t.The latter are arranged horizontally in rear and at right angles to thespindle I, and the driving-shaft is arranged horizontally below and atright angles to the arbors,whereby the belt is twisted in a well-knownmanner between the drivingpulley and the spindle-pulley. Thedrivingshaft is journaled in bearings on the base and standard and isrotated by a drivingbelt running around a step or cone pulley '5arranged on the rear end of the driving-shaft.

.I represents a circular chuck-head which is secured to the lower end ofthe spindle and which is arranged within the upper portion of thepail-body when the latter is in'its elevated position.

j represents a number of radially-movable clamping-jaws, which aremounted horizontally on top of the head and each of which is provided atits outer end with a segmental gripper face j, which is adapted to bearagainst the inner side of the pail-body, and at its inner end withaninclined face 9' The clamping-jaws are guided on the chuck-head bydepending lugs 9' formed on the jaws and engaging with radial slots j inthe head, each jaw being held against displacement by a plate which issecured tothe lower end of its lug and bears against the under side ofthe head. The jaws are yieldingly held in their retracted innermostposition by springs 70, each of which bears with its ends against thehead and the'lug of one of the jaws, as shown in Figs. 5 and 9.

L represents a verticallymovable cone which engages with the inclines ofthe clamping-jaws. Upon depressing this cone the clamping-jaws arespread and engaged with the inner side of the elevated pail-body, andupon raising the cone the springs contract the jaws or move theminwardly out of engagement with the pail-body. Theverticallyreciprocating movement of the cone is produced by ahorizontalrock-shaft M, journaled in bearings arranged on the supporting-arm O inrear of the spindle and provided at its inner end with'aforwardly-projecting upper rock-arm m, which is connected with the cone,while its outer end is provided with a depending lower rock-arm m,having a pin m which is engaged by a cam-shifting device arranged on thevertical bar H. The front end of the upper arm m is bifurcated or forkedand pivoted to a ring m which is mounted loosely between two collars orshoulders m m on the cone, whereby the latter is free to turn with thechuck, but is compelled to rise and fall with the rock-arm m. The lowerarm m is preferably made in two sections, one section m being hungloosely onto the rock-shaft M, while the other section m is secured tosaid shaft and provided with adj usting-screws m bearing againstopposite sides of the section m, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, wherebythe throw of the cone may be adjusted in a wellknown manner.

The cam-shifting device, which engages with the lower rock-arm m foroperating the chuck, is constructed as follows:

N represents a cam-plate secured to the inner side of the bar 11 andprovided on its inner side with a cam-face consisting, essentially, of alower vertical portion '21, an upper vertical portion 71, arrangedrearward of the lower portion, and an inclined portion 01 extendingupwardly and rearwardly from the upper end of the lower vertical portionat to the lower end of the upper vertical portion a.

0 represents a movable latch or switch which is arranged on the rearside of the camplate and pivoted thereto near its middle by a horizontalpin 0, journaled in a bearing in the cam-plate N. In its normal positionthe switch is inclined with its lower end bearing against the lowervertical portion of the camface, in which position of the switch itsrear side forms a cam-face, which extends from its lower end upwardlyand rearwardly to its upper end, as shown in full lines, Fig. 8. Theswitch is yieldingly held in this position by means of a spring 0connected with its ends to the cam-plate N, and an arm 0 secured to theouter end of the pivot of the switch, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

P represents a spring which connects the upper rock-arm m with thesupporting-arm C, and whereby the rock shaft and arms are turned forraising the cone and releasing the chuck.

WVhen the cam-plate N is in its highest position, the pin of therock-arm m engages with the lower vertical portion a of the cam-face, asshown by dotted lines n Fig.'8. Upon depressing the cam-plate the rearinclined side of the switch engages with the rock-arm m and deflects thesame rearwardly,vthereby lowering the cone and spreading theclamping-jaws of the chuck. This movement of the cone continues untilthe pin m of the lower rock-arm m reaches the pivot of the switch, andafter this pin passes the pivot the forward pressure of the pin againstthe upper portion of the switch causes the latter to be turned until itbears with its upper end against the incline of, as shown in Fig. 8. Inthis position of the switch its rear side is flush with the uppervertical portion at of the cam face, whereby the pin of the lowerrock-arm is directed by the switch upon the upper vertical portion a ofthe cam-face during the last portion of. the downward movement of thecam-plate N. As the pin on during the downward movement of the camclears the upper end of the switch the latter is returned to itsinclined position by the spring 0 Durin g the first portion of thesubsequent upward movement of the cam-plate N the pin m passes from theupper vertical portion of the cam-face to the inclined portion thereof,whereby the cone is raised for contracting the clamping-jaws, and as thecam-plate completes its upward movement the pin m defleets the switch inorder to pass below the same into its initial position. As theclamping-jaws are expanded they bear against the inner side of thepail-bod y with sufficient friction to cause the pail-body, togetherwith the bottom and its support, to turn with the chuck, and while thebody and bottom are so rotated the upper edge of the body is curled orturned over and the flange at the lower end thereof and the adjacentedge of the body are united by a seam.

The seaming and curling devices are constructed as follows:

Q Q represent a pair of seaming-rollers which are arranged adjacent tothe lower edge of the pail when the latter is in an elevated positionand which are pivoted by vertical pins (1 to the arms of a bifurcatedlever B. The latter is pivoted to swing horizontally on a carriage 7",which is supported in any suitable manner on a horizontal extension 1"of the bracket D, so as to permit of moving the seaming-lever bodilytoward and from the axis of the blank-supporting table for adapting theseaming device to pails of different diameters. The seaming-roller Q isprovided in its periphery with a groove q, as shown in Fig. 5, while theother roller Q is provided with a fiat periphery g as shown in Fig. 1.

' Upon turning the seaming-lever in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3,the seaming-roller Q engages with its groove against the edge of thebottom-blank and the flange at the lower end of the body-blank and turnsor curls the same upwardly and inwardly, as shown in Fig 5. Theseaming-lever is next turned in the opposite direction, whereby thegrooved seaming-roller is swung away from the curled edges of the bodyand bottom blanks and theother seaming-roller is pressed against thesame,thereby flattening the curled edges against the body and finishingthe seam in a Well-known manner.

S S represent two curling-rollers, which are arranged vertically in linewith the upper edge of the pail-body and on diametrically opposite sidesthereof and each of which is provided with a peripheral groove which isconstructed to turn over orcurl the upper edge of the pail-body when thesame is rotated in engagement with said groove. Each of thecurling-rollers is pivoted by a horizontal pin or bolts to the lower endof a supporting-arm s, which is secured at its upper end to a horizontalsupporting-rod 'The latter is secured to the lower arm 0' of the mainframe.

Preparatory to beginning the seaming and curling of a pail the shiftingbar is raised to its highest position, in which position thetable-shifting arm f bears with its pin against the vertical portion gof the table-shifting cam G, and the chuck rock-arm m bears with its pinagainst the lower vertical'portion n of the chuck-cam N, whereby thetable 6 is lowered and the clamping-jaws are retracted, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2. The operator now places a bottom-blank on the table and abod yblank on the bottom -blank and then depresses the treadle, wherebythe shifting bar and the parts connected therewith are depressed. Duringthe first part of the downward movement of the shifting bar the inclinesamesufficiently to lift the pail-blanks, so that the upper part of thebody incloses the chuck-head and its jaws, and during this movement ofthe bar the lower vertical face at of the chuck-operating cam N slidespast the pin of the lower chuck rock-arm m and does not turn the same.During the next part of the downward movement of the shifting bar thevertical portion g of the cam G engages with the rock-arm f, whereby theupward movement of the pail-blanks for the time being is arrested, andduring this movement of the shifting bar H the lower port-ion of theinclined switch engages with the lower rock-arm m and turns the same, soas to depress the cone and spread the clamping-jaws into engagement withthe inner side of the pail-body, whereby the pail-blanks are rotated.During the next portion of the upward movement of the shifting bar H theinclined portion 9 of the cam G engages with the rockarm f and turns thesame,thereby continuing the lifting of the pail-blanks, whereby the bodyis slid upwardly along the chuck-jaws, and its upper edge is engagedwith the curling-rollers for curling or turning over the same, and whilethe pail is being so moved the rock-arm m engages with the upper part ofthe switch 0 and turns the same into the position shown by dotted linesin Fig. 8,which movement of the switch does not aifect the chuck, butholds the jaws thereof in an extended position. During the last portionof the upward movement of the shifting bar H the rock-arm f engages withthe vertical portion g of the cam G, whereby the upward movement of thepail is arrested and the rock-,arm m passes from the switch to the uppervertical portion at of the cam N, thereby permitting the switch toresume its normal inclined position. While the pailblanks are rotatingin their highest position, the operator engages the seaming-rollers Q Qsuccessively with the flange on the lower end of the body and theprojecting marginal portion of the bottom and forms a seam-joint betweenthe same. The operator now reg engages with the rock-armf and turns theleases the treadle, whereby the shifting bar and connecting parts areraised by the spring it. During the first part of the upward movement ofthe bar H the pin of the rock-arm m passes from the vertical portion italong the inclined portion 02*, whereby the clampingjaws are retractedand the pail is released. During the remaining portion of the downwardmovement of the shifting bar the rockarm f passes from the Verticalportion g successively along the inclined portion vertical portion 9inclined portion g, and vertical portion 9 to the place of beginning,thereby lowering the pail, and the pin on the rock-arm m deflects theswitch and passes along the vertical portion nof the cam to its place ofbeginning. By releasing the chuck from the pail before the latter beginsits downward movement the pail is not rotated as it descends, whichotherwise would result in throwing the pail laterally from the table. Byreleasing the clamping-jaws from the pail before the descent of thelatter the curlingrollers can be constructed to curl the upper edge ofthe pail inwardly instead of outwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, whichotherwise would not be possible, because the curled edge of the pailwould engage with the jaws and prevent the pail from descending.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a curling device, of amovable table adapted to support a tubular blank and to engage the edgethereof with the curling device,and a driving-chuck adapted to grasp theblank and rotate the same, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a curling device, of a movable table adapted tosupport a tubular blank and to engage the edge thereof with the curlingdevice, and a driving-chuck constructed to engage with the inner side ofsaid blank and rotate the same, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a curling-roller, of a table movable toward andfrom the curling-roller and adapted to carry a tubular blank with itsedge against the on rling-roller, and a driving-chuck adapted to engagewith the inner side of said blank adjacent to the curling-roller androtate said blank, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a curling-roller, of a table movable toward andfrom the curling-roller and adapted to carry a tubular blank with itsedge against the curling-roller, a driving-chuck adapted to engage withthe inner side of said blank, and cams whereby said table and chuck areoperated, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the curling-roller, of a movable table adaptedto support the bottom and body blanks of a pail and to carry the upperedge of the body toward and from the curling-roller, a driving-chuckadapted to engage with the body-blank, and a seaming device adapted toengage with the lower portion of the body-blank and the marginal portionof the bottom-blank and to unite the same, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the curling-roller, of a table adapted tosupport a tubular blank and to carry the upper edge thereof toward andfrom the curling-roller, and a rotary chuck-head. adapted to enter thetop of the blank and provided with radially-movable jaws adapted toengage with the inner side of the blank and with an axially-movable coneengaging with said jaws, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the curling-roller, of a table adapted tosupport a tubular blank and to carry the upper edge thereof toward andfrom the curling-roller, a cam whereby the table is shifted, a rotarydriving-chuck adapted to engage with said blank, and a cam whichoperates said chuck and which is provided with a movable switch, wherebythis cam in moving back and forth causes the chuck to grasp the blankbefore the latter completes its forward movement and to release theblank before the same begins its backward movement, substantially as setforth.

8. The combination with a table adapted to support the bottom and bodyblanks of a pail and capable of a horizontal rotary and arising-andfalling movement, a horizontallytu'rning driving chuck adaptedto engage with the body-blank, a curling-roller adapted to engage withthe upper edge of the bodyblank for curling the same, and ahorizontally-swinging seaming-lever provided with seaming-rollers whichare adapted to engage with the marginal portion of the bottom-blank andthe lower portion of the body-blank when the pail-blanks are in anelevated position for uniting the same,substa-ntially as set forth.

9. The combination with the curling-roller, of a table adapted tosupport a tubular blank and to carry the upper edge thereof toward andfrom the curling-roller, a shifting rod supporting said table, arock-shaft provided with two rock-arms,one of which bears against theshifting rod while the other engages with a table-shifting cam, adriving-chuck provided with jaws adapted to engage with the inner sideof the blank, a rock-shaft provided with two rock-arms, one of which isconnected with said chuck while the other engages with a chuck-operatingcam, a switch arranged on said chuck-operating cam and yieldingly heldin its normal position by a spring, and a shifting bar carrying saidcams, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 10th day of November, 1898.

- EDMUND ZEH. Witnesses:

GEO. A. LAUTZ, THEO. L. PoPP.

